There’s nothing better than a good ol’ scrub down to refresh and revitalise your skin, especially after a long, hot summer.

So, summer is coming to an end and autumn is hovering on the horizon, a seasonal change that heralds a much-needed beauty overhaul. Your glowing tan is now fading along with those long, lazy days, and the effects of the sun – dryness, fine lines and pigmentation – are perhaps visible.

THE BENEFITS

Believe it or not we shed between 30 000 and 40 000 dead skin cells every minute! This is because our skin is constantly renewing itself. Exfoliation plays an extremely important role in beauty care as it sloughs away the dead and dry skin cells from the skin’s surface, increasing blood circulation and thereby restoring your healthy glow. This is especially important after the skin has been exposed to the drying effects of the sun.

Why you should exfoliate

A good exfoliation will soften rough, sun-damaged skin.

A dry skin that has been exfoliated absorbs moisturisers and other products more readily so

the skin is nourished more effectively.

Exfoliation improves skin discolouration (pigmentation).

Breakouts, blackheads and whiteheads can be worse in summer but exfoliation clearsclogged pores.

WAYS TO EXFOLIATE

It is important to attend to the whole body, including hands and face, when it comes to nurturing your post-summer skin, and there are two main ways to do so: manually and chemically.

Manual exfoliation

You can either use a ‘scrub’ in the form of a paste, which is made up of very gentle abrasive particles, or an electrical device to exfoliate. The scrubs do not penetrate beneath the outer layer of skin, while certain electrical exfoliation techniques such as lasers and dermabrasion are aggressive as they penetrate to the dermis layer. If you want to go this route you will have to visit a dermatologist.

Scrubs can be used for both the body and the face. For a good body scrub consider a product containing salt or sugar crystals in organic carrier oils such as almond or coconut oil. The face will need finer, more gentle granules such as jojoba beads, walnut shells, coffee grains or even ruby crystals.

Ultrasonic treatments use high-level sound waves to penetrate below the surface of the skin which encourages cell renewal and repair. Blood circulation is increased resulting in a healthy flow of transportation of oxygen to cells. This encourages the removal of debris and the skin is refreshed and revitalised. This gentle treatment plumps out wrinkles, tightens ageing skin, and improves acne and unsightly enlarged pores.

Microdermabrasion uses tiny exfoliating crystals that are sprayed on the skin or a diamond tip to exfoliate and buff the top layer of skin. It is non-invasive. The treatment improves wrinkles, uneven skin tone, stretch marks and benefits those with sun-damage.

Dermabrasion is an invasive procedure whereby a dermatologist or plastic surgeon ‘sands’ your skin with a special instrument to make way for a new, smoother layer of skin to replace the skin that's been treated.

Ablative lasers are invasive as they remove the outer skin layer to make way for new skin growth. Skin that has been exposed to far too much time in the sun may benefit from this treatment.

Chemical exfoliation

Instead of buffing off dead skin, chemicals dissolve dead cells whereby they shed faster. Chemical agents are more effective than manual scrubs as they penetrate below the outer layer of skin producing a longer-lasting and far more glowing and smoother skin by stimulating the production of new cells.

The word ‘chemical’ here may be a bit misleading as chemical exfoliants (found in cleansers, moisturisers and serums) primarily come from natural sources. The main ingredients are acids and enzymes.

Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) are excellent exfoliants for oily skins with blackheads and acne as they are able to penetrate the oil barriers in blocked pores and exfoliate within the pores, flushing out skin debris. Salicylic acid, derived from the willowbark tree, is the most commonly used BHA.

Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) – gluconolactone and lactobionic acid – are more gentle types of AHAs and are especially beneficial for ultra-sensitive skins and for those who suffer from eczema and rosacea.

A LAST WORD

When you exfoliate, blood circulation is increased, there is toxic breakdown, and the way is being paved for the emergence of new cells so drink plenty of water to flush out the toxins and hydrate those new cells.

Although many chemical exfoliants are manufactured synthetically, there are many natural products to choose from.

About the Author

After graduating with a BA Honours degree from the University of Cape Town, she embarked on a proofreading and writing career before living in Italy for six years. On her return, Natasha completed her Master’s degree in Journalism at Stellenbosch University and worked as a freelance health writer up until the end of 2012 when she joined the editorial team at Natural Medicine.